sociological perspectives Flashcards
what is the problem with malestream sociology?
sociology has failed to deal with the concerns and interests of women + the unequal position they have traditionally occupied
what do postmodernists argue?
it is nonsense to talk of ‘family’ as people live in such a wide range of ever changing personal relationships
what are the 4 main features of new right?
-emphasis on individual freedom & self interest
-reduced spending by the state
-a defence of the free market
-a stress on the importance of traditional institutions and values
what did Marx argue?
workers produce more than is needed for employers to pay them their wages- Marx called this surplus value. this means workers dont get full value of their work, therefore being exploited
what were the stages Auguste Comte believed society developed in?
-theological stage- people understand society as natural
-positivist stage- society is governed by reliable knowledge understood in light of scientific knowledge
what do structuralists believe?
the behaviour of individual human beings, they way they act, and the foundation of their identities are the result of social forces which are external to the individual
what do functionalists believe?
any society has certain functional prerequisites that must be met if society is to survive
what does the economic base consist of?
-means of production- land, factories, raw materials and labour necessary to produce societys goods
-the relations of production- shared ownership, between those involved in production; relationship between owners and non-owners
what does structuration involve?
individuals can make choices within structures & act accordingly. while people operate with constraints of social structure, they can also act, make choices, and change the structure
in ‘new right’ what does “an emphasis on individual freedom and self-interest mean”?
reducing control of the individual by unnecessary state interference
in ‘new right’ what does “reduced spending by the state mean?
makes individual more self-reliant. by cutting welfare benefits and encouraging people to work
in ‘new right’ what does “a defence of the free market” mean?
free competition between individuals, companies, schools, and other institutions is encouraged, giving individuals maximum choice
in ‘new right’ what does “a stress on the importance of traditional institutions and values” mean?
traditional family life and traditional education and a condemnation of anything that challenges these values
what do postmodernists suggest?
society and social structures have ceased to exist, and replaced by individuals making choices about their own lifestyle and identities, free from traditional constraints like social class, gender or ethnicity
what was Marxs solution?
-in order to promote equality in society, capitalism must be destroyed
-the proletariat must rebel against the government and society must start again
-a communist society
what is functionalism?
sociological perspective which sees society as made up of parts which work together to maintain society as an integrated whole
what is functional prerequisites?
the basic needs that must be met if society is to survive
what is marxism?
structural theory of society which sees society divided by conflict between two main opposing social classes due to private ownership of the means of production
who are the bourgeoisie?
the class owners of the means of production in industrial societies
who are the proletariat?
the social class of workers who have to work for wages as they have no means of production
what is dominant ideology?
the sets of ideas and beliefs of the most powerful in society, which influences the rest of society
what is malestream sociology?
feminists argue that a lot of mainstream sociology has been focused on the concerns of men
what is marxist feminism?
emphasises the way in which women are doubly exploited as workers and women
what is radical feminism?
focuses on the problem of men and male domination under the patriarchy
what is liberal feminism?
focuses on the measures to ensure that women have equal opportunities with men within the present system
what is postmodernism?
stresses that society is changing rapidly and constantly marked by chaos, uncertainty and risk
what is structuralism?
overall structure of society, and the way social institutions work, constrain or limit and control individual behaviour
what is social action?
understanding interactions between people, and how people interpret and see things as they do. focuses on the labels people assign to people and things around them
what is structuration?
constraints from social institutions limit & control the behaviour of individuals and groups, and have influence on the formation of individual and group identities
what is capitalism?
economic system that is based on private ownership of the means of production. individuals & businesses compete with each other to provide goods + services to consumers
what is communism?
a society based on equality. no private ownership, all property belongs to the state
